diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/groupview/groupview.spec.ts b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/groupview/groupview.spec.ts
index 266eaf36c..ebe94b389 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/groupview/groupview.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/groupview/groupview.spec.ts
@@ -12,11 +12,8 @@ import {
     IWatermarkRenderer,
 } from '../../groupview/types';
 import { PanelUpdateEvent } from '../../panel/types';
-import { fireEvent } from '@testing-library/dom';
-import { LocalSelectionTransfer } from '../../dnd/dataTransfer';
-import { Position } from '../../dnd/droptarget';
 import { GroupviewPanel } from '../../groupview/groupviewPanel';
-import { GroupOptions } from '../../groupview/groupview';
+import { GroupChangeKind, GroupOptions } from '../../groupview/groupview';
 import { DockviewPanelApi } from '../../api/groupPanelApi';
 import {
     DefaultGroupPanelView,
@@ -222,6 +219,7 @@ describe('groupview', () => {
             tabHeight: 30,
         };
         groupview = new GroupviewPanel(dockview, 'groupview-1', options);
+        groupview.initialize();
     });
 
     test('serialized layout shows active panel', () => {
@@ -234,6 +232,7 @@ describe('groupview', () => {
             panels: [panel1, panel2, panel3],
             activePanel: panel2,
         });
+        groupview2.initialize();
 
         expect(groupview2.model.activePanel).toBe(panel2);
 
@@ -248,6 +247,138 @@ describe('groupview', () => {
         ).toBeFalsy();
     });
 
+    test('panel events are captured during de-serialization', () => {
+        const panel1 = new TestPanel('panel1', jest.fn() as any);
+        const panel2 = new TestPanel('panel2', jest.fn() as any);
+        const panel3 = new TestPanel('panel3', jest.fn() as any);
+
+        const groupview2 = new GroupviewPanel(dockview, 'groupview-2', {
+            tabHeight: 25,
+            panels: [panel1, panel2, panel3],
+            activePanel: panel2,
+        });
+
+        const events: Array<{
+            kind: GroupChangeKind;
+        }> = [];
+        const disposable = groupview2.model.onDidGroupChange((e) => {
+            events.push(e);
+        });
+
+        groupview2.initialize();
+
+        expect(events).toEqual([
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.ADD_PANEL,
+                panel: panel1,
+            },
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.ADD_PANEL,
+                panel: panel2,
+            },
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.ADD_PANEL,
+                panel: panel3,
+            },
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.PANEL_ACTIVE,
+                panel: panel2,
+            },
+        ]);
+
+        disposable.dispose();
+    });
+
+    test('panel events flow', () => {
+        let events: Array<{
+            kind: GroupChangeKind;
+        }> = [];
+        const disposable = groupview.model.onDidGroupChange((e) => {
+            events.push(e);
+        });
+
+        const panel1 = new TestPanel('panel1', jest.fn() as any);
+        const panel2 = new TestPanel('panel2', jest.fn() as any);
+        const panel3 = new TestPanel('panel3', jest.fn() as any);
+
+        expect(events.length).toBe(0);
+
+        groupview.model.openPanel(panel1);
+        expect(events).toEqual([
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.ADD_PANEL,
+                panel: panel1,
+            },
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.PANEL_ACTIVE,
+                panel: panel1,
+            },
+        ]);
+        events = [];
+
+        groupview.model.openPanel(panel2);
+        expect(events).toEqual([
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.ADD_PANEL,
+                panel: panel2,
+            },
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.PANEL_ACTIVE,
+                panel: panel2,
+            },
+        ]);
+        events = [];
+
+        groupview.model.openPanel(panel3);
+        expect(events).toEqual([
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.ADD_PANEL,
+                panel: panel3,
+            },
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.PANEL_ACTIVE,
+                panel: panel3,
+            },
+        ]);
+        events = [];
+
+        groupview.model.removePanel(panel3);
+        expect(events).toEqual([
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.REMOVE_PANEL,
+                panel: panel3,
+            },
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.PANEL_ACTIVE,
+                panel: panel2,
+            },
+        ]);
+        events = [];
+
+        groupview.model.removePanel(panel1);
+        expect(events).toEqual([
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.REMOVE_PANEL,
+                panel: panel1,
+            },
+        ]);
+        events = [];
+
+        groupview.model.removePanel(panel2);
+        expect(events).toEqual([
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.REMOVE_PANEL,
+                panel: panel2,
+            },
+            {
+                kind: GroupChangeKind.PANEL_ACTIVE,
+            },
+        ]);
+        events = [];
+
+        disposable.dispose();
+    });
+
     test('moveToPrevious and moveToNext', () => {
         const panel1 = new TestPanel('panel1', jest.fn() as any);
         const panel2 = new TestPanel('panel2', jest.fn() as any);
@@ -293,45 +424,4 @@ describe('groupview', () => {
         );
         expect(viewQuery).toBeTruthy();
     });
-
-    // test('dnd', () => {
-    //     const panel1 = new TestPanel('panel1', jest.fn() as any);
-    //     const panel2 = new TestPanel('panel2', jest.fn() as any);
-
-    //     groupview.model.openPanel(panel1);
-    //     groupview.model.openPanel(panel2);
-
-    //     const events: GroupDropEvent[] = [];
-
-    //     groupview.model.onDrop((event) => {
-    //         events.push(event);
-    //     });
-
-    //     const viewQuery = groupview.element.querySelectorAll(
-    //         '.groupview > .tabs-and-actions-container > .tabs-container > .tab'
-    //     );
-    //     expect(viewQuery.length).toBe(2);
-
-    //     LocalSelectionTransfer.getInstance().setData([], 'dockview-1');
-
-    //     fireEvent.dragEnter(viewQuery[0]);
-
-    //     let dropTarget = viewQuery[0].querySelector('.drop-target-dropzone');
-    //     fireEvent.dragOver(dropTarget);
-    //     fireEvent.drop(dropTarget);
-
-    //     expect(events.length).toBe(1);
-    //     expect(events[0].target).toBe(Position.Center);
-    //     expect(events[0].index).toBe(0);
-
-    //     fireEvent.dragEnter(viewQuery[1]);
-
-    //     dropTarget = viewQuery[1].querySelector('.drop-target-dropzone');
-    //     fireEvent.dragOver(dropTarget);
-    //     fireEvent.drop(dropTarget);
-
-    //     expect(events.length).toBe(2);
-    //     expect(events[1].target).toBe(Position.Center);
-    //     expect(events[1].index).toBe(1);
-    // });
 });
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/react/react.spec.tsx b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/react/react.spec.tsx
index 4bd7dbbf2..9be93848d 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/react/react.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/react/react.spec.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { ReactPart } from '../../react/react';
 import * as React from 'react';
-import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { render, screen, act } from '@testing-library/react';
 
 interface TestInterface {
     valueA: string;
@@ -23,12 +23,16 @@ describe('react', () => {
             expect(screen.getByTestId('valueA').textContent).toBe('stringA');
             expect(screen.getByTestId('valueB').textContent).toBe('42');
 
-            api.update({ valueB: '32' });
+            act(() => {
+                api.update({ valueB: '32' });
+            });
 
             expect(screen.getByTestId('valueA').textContent).toBe('stringA');
             expect(screen.getByTestId('valueB').textContent).toBe('32');
 
-            api.update({ valueA: 'anotherStringA', valueB: '22' });
+            act(() => {
+                api.update({ valueA: 'anotherStringA', valueB: '22' });
+            });
 
             expect(screen.getByTestId('valueA').textContent).toBe(
                 'anotherStringA'
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/api/gridviewPanelApi.ts b/packages/dockview/src/api/gridviewPanelApi.ts
index 6b04dcebe..8523a0c4f 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/api/gridviewPanelApi.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/api/gridviewPanelApi.ts
@@ -3,43 +3,45 @@ import { FunctionOrValue } from '../types';
 import { PanelApiImpl, PanelApi } from './panelApi';
 
 export interface GridConstraintChangeEvent {
-    minimumWidth?: number;
-    minimumHeight?: number;
-    maximumWidth?: number;
-    maximumHeight?: number;
+    readonly minimumWidth?: number;
+    readonly minimumHeight?: number;
+    readonly maximumWidth?: number;
+    readonly maximumHeight?: number;
 }
 
 interface GridConstraintChangeEvent2 {
-    minimumWidth?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
-    minimumHeight?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
-    maximumWidth?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
-    maximumHeight?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
+    readonly minimumWidth?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
+    readonly minimumHeight?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
+    readonly maximumWidth?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
+    readonly maximumHeight?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
 }
 
 export interface SizeEvent {
-    width?: number;
-    height?: number;
+    readonly width?: number;
+    readonly height?: number;
 }
 
 export interface GridviewPanelApi extends PanelApi {
-    onDidConstraintsChange: Event<GridConstraintChangeEvent>;
+    readonly onDidConstraintsChange: Event<GridConstraintChangeEvent>;
     setConstraints(value: GridConstraintChangeEvent2): void;
     setSize(event: SizeEvent): void;
 }
 
 export class GridviewPanelApiImpl
     extends PanelApiImpl
-    implements GridviewPanelApi {
-    readonly _onDidConstraintsChangeInternal = new Emitter<GridConstraintChangeEvent2>();
-    readonly onDidConstraintsChangeInternal: Event<GridConstraintChangeEvent2> = this
-        ._onDidConstraintsChangeInternal.event;
+    implements GridviewPanelApi
+{
+    readonly _onDidConstraintsChangeInternal =
+        new Emitter<GridConstraintChangeEvent2>();
+    readonly onDidConstraintsChangeInternal: Event<GridConstraintChangeEvent2> =
+        this._onDidConstraintsChangeInternal.event;
     //
 
     readonly _onDidConstraintsChange = new Emitter<GridConstraintChangeEvent>({
         replay: true,
     });
-    readonly onDidConstraintsChange: Event<GridConstraintChangeEvent> = this
-        ._onDidConstraintsChange.event;
+    readonly onDidConstraintsChange: Event<GridConstraintChangeEvent> =
+        this._onDidConstraintsChange.event;
     //
 
     readonly _onDidSizeChange = new Emitter<SizeEvent>();
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/api/groupPanelApi.ts b/packages/dockview/src/api/groupPanelApi.ts
index 9446aa345..8a0f34ee7 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/api/groupPanelApi.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/api/groupPanelApi.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ import { IGroupPanel } from '../groupview/groupPanel';
 import { GroupviewPanel } from '../groupview/groupviewPanel';
 
 export interface TitleEvent {
-    title: string;
+    readonly title: string;
 }
 
 export interface SuppressClosableEvent {
-    suppressClosable: boolean;
+    readonly suppressClosable: boolean;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export interface DockviewPanelApi
     readonly isGroupActive: boolean;
     readonly title: string;
     readonly suppressClosable: boolean;
-    onDidDirtyChange: Event<boolean>;
+    readonly onDidDirtyChange: Event<boolean>;
     close: () => Promise<boolean>;
     interceptOnCloseAction(interceptor: () => Promise<boolean>): void;
     setTitle(title: string): void;
@@ -29,17 +29,14 @@ export interface DockviewPanelApi
 
 export class DockviewPanelApiImpl
     extends GridviewPanelApiImpl
-    implements DockviewPanelApi {
+    implements DockviewPanelApi
+{
     private _group: GroupviewPanel | undefined;
     private _interceptor: undefined | (() => Promise<boolean>);
 
     readonly _onDidDirtyChange = new Emitter<boolean>();
     readonly onDidDirtyChange = this._onDidDirtyChange.event;
-    // readonly _onDidGroupPanelVisibleChange = new Emitter<VisibilityEvent>({
-    //     replay: true,
-    // });
-    // readonly onDidGroupPanelVisibleChange: Event<VisibilityEvent> = this
-    //     ._onDidGroupPanelVisibleChange.event;
+
     readonly _onDidTitleChange = new Emitter<TitleEvent>();
     readonly onDidTitleChange = this._onDidTitleChange.event;
 
@@ -49,10 +46,6 @@ export class DockviewPanelApiImpl
     readonly _suppressClosableChanged = new Emitter<SuppressClosableEvent>();
     readonly suppressClosableChanged = this._suppressClosableChanged.event;
 
-    // get isGroupVisible() {
-    //     return this._isGroupVisible;
-    // }
-
     get tryClose(): undefined | (() => Promise<boolean>) {
         return this._interceptor;
     }
@@ -81,13 +74,7 @@ export class DockviewPanelApiImpl
         super(panel.id);
         this._group = group;
 
-        this.addDisposables(
-            // this._onDidGroupPanelVisibleChange,
-            this._onDidDirtyChange
-            // this.onDidGroupPanelVisibleChange((event) => {
-            //     this._isGroupVisible = event.isVisible;
-            // })
-        );
+        this.addDisposables(this._onDidDirtyChange);
     }
 
     public setTitle(title: string) {
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/api/panelApi.ts b/packages/dockview/src/api/panelApi.ts
index 7769810d1..68ec9d8b7 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/api/panelApi.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/api/panelApi.ts
@@ -21,29 +21,29 @@ export interface State {
 }
 
 export interface FocusEvent {
-    isFocused: boolean;
+    readonly isFocused: boolean;
 }
 export interface PanelDimensionChangeEvent {
-    width: number;
-    height: number;
+    readonly width: number;
+    readonly height: number;
 }
 
 export interface VisibilityEvent {
-    isVisible: boolean;
+    readonly isVisible: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface ActiveEvent {
-    isActive: boolean;
+    readonly isActive: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface PanelApi {
     // events
-    onDidDimensionsChange: Event<PanelDimensionChangeEvent>;
-    onDidStateChange: Event<void>;
-    onDidFocusChange: Event<FocusEvent>;
-    onDidVisibilityChange: Event<VisibilityEvent>;
-    onDidActiveChange: Event<ActiveEvent>;
-    onFocusEvent: Event<void>;
+    readonly onDidDimensionsChange: Event<PanelDimensionChangeEvent>;
+    readonly onDidStateChange: Event<void>;
+    readonly onDidFocusChange: Event<FocusEvent>;
+    readonly onDidVisibilityChange: Event<VisibilityEvent>;
+    readonly onDidActiveChange: Event<ActiveEvent>;
+    readonly onFocusEvent: Event<void>;
     //
     setVisible(isVisible: boolean): void;
     setActive(): void;
@@ -92,11 +92,10 @@ export class PanelApiImpl extends CompositeDisposable implements PanelApi {
     readonly _onDidStateChange = new Emitter<void>();
     readonly onDidStateChange: Event<void> = this._onDidStateChange.event;
     //
-    readonly _onDidPanelDimensionChange = new Emitter<PanelDimensionChangeEvent>(
-        {
+    readonly _onDidPanelDimensionChange =
+        new Emitter<PanelDimensionChangeEvent>({
             replay: true,
-        }
-    );
+        });
     readonly onDidDimensionsChange = this._onDidPanelDimensionChange.event;
     //
     readonly _onDidChangeFocus = new Emitter<FocusEvent>({
@@ -110,19 +109,19 @@ export class PanelApiImpl extends CompositeDisposable implements PanelApi {
     readonly _onDidVisibilityChange = new Emitter<VisibilityEvent>({
         replay: true,
     });
-    readonly onDidVisibilityChange: Event<VisibilityEvent> = this
-        ._onDidVisibilityChange.event;
+    readonly onDidVisibilityChange: Event<VisibilityEvent> =
+        this._onDidVisibilityChange.event;
     //
 
     readonly _onVisibilityChange = new Emitter<VisibilityEvent>();
-    readonly onVisibilityChange: Event<VisibilityEvent> = this
-        ._onVisibilityChange.event;
+    readonly onVisibilityChange: Event<VisibilityEvent> =
+        this._onVisibilityChange.event;
     //
     readonly _onDidActiveChange = new Emitter<ActiveEvent>({
         replay: true,
     });
-    readonly onDidActiveChange: Event<ActiveEvent> = this._onDidActiveChange
-        .event;
+    readonly onDidActiveChange: Event<ActiveEvent> =
+        this._onDidActiveChange.event;
     //
     readonly _onActiveChange = new Emitter<void>();
     readonly onActiveChange: Event<void> = this._onActiveChange.event;
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/api/paneviewPanelApi.ts b/packages/dockview/src/api/paneviewPanelApi.ts
index 9b33d0348..4391edf66 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/api/paneviewPanelApi.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/api/paneviewPanelApi.ts
@@ -3,25 +3,26 @@ import { PaneviewPanel } from '../paneview/paneviewPanel';
 import { SplitviewPanelApi, SplitviewPanelApiImpl } from './splitviewPanelApi';
 
 export interface ExpansionEvent {
-    isExpanded: boolean;
+    readonly isExpanded: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface PaneviewPanelApi extends SplitviewPanelApi {
-    onDidExpansionChange: Event<ExpansionEvent>;
+    readonly isExpanded: boolean;
+    readonly onDidExpansionChange: Event<ExpansionEvent>;
     readonly onMouseEnter: Event<MouseEvent>;
     readonly onMouseLeave: Event<MouseEvent>;
     setExpanded(isExpanded: boolean): void;
-    readonly isExpanded: boolean;
 }
 
 export class PaneviewPanelApiImpl
     extends SplitviewPanelApiImpl
-    implements PaneviewPanelApi {
+    implements PaneviewPanelApi
+{
     readonly _onDidExpansionChange = new Emitter<ExpansionEvent>({
         replay: true,
     });
-    readonly onDidExpansionChange: Event<ExpansionEvent> = this
-        ._onDidExpansionChange.event;
+    readonly onDidExpansionChange: Event<ExpansionEvent> =
+        this._onDidExpansionChange.event;
 
     readonly _onMouseEnter = new Emitter<MouseEvent>({});
     readonly onMouseEnter: Event<MouseEvent> = this._onMouseEnter.event;
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/api/splitviewPanelApi.ts b/packages/dockview/src/api/splitviewPanelApi.ts
index 2ca41d471..a90f71639 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/api/splitviewPanelApi.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/api/splitviewPanelApi.ts
@@ -4,43 +4,45 @@ import { FunctionOrValue } from '../types';
 import { PanelApiImpl, PanelApi } from './panelApi';
 
 interface PanelConstraintChangeEvent2 {
-    minimumSize?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
-    maximumSize?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
+    readonly minimumSize?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
+    readonly maximumSize?: FunctionOrValue<number>;
 }
 
 export interface PanelConstraintChangeEvent {
-    minimumSize?: number;
-    maximumSize?: number;
+    readonly minimumSize?: number;
+    readonly maximumSize?: number;
 }
 
 export interface PanelSizeEvent {
-    size: number;
+    readonly size: number;
 }
 
 export interface SplitviewPanelApi extends PanelApi {
-    onDidConstraintsChange: Event<PanelConstraintChangeEvent>;
+    readonly onDidConstraintsChange: Event<PanelConstraintChangeEvent>;
     setConstraints(value: PanelConstraintChangeEvent2): void;
     setSize(event: PanelSizeEvent): void;
 }
 
 export class SplitviewPanelApiImpl
     extends PanelApiImpl
-    implements SplitviewPanelApi, IDisposable {
-    readonly _onDidConstraintsChangeInternal = new Emitter<PanelConstraintChangeEvent2>();
-    readonly onDidConstraintsChangeInternal: Event<PanelConstraintChangeEvent2> = this
-        ._onDidConstraintsChangeInternal.event;
+    implements SplitviewPanelApi, IDisposable
+{
+    readonly _onDidConstraintsChangeInternal =
+        new Emitter<PanelConstraintChangeEvent2>();
+    readonly onDidConstraintsChangeInternal: Event<PanelConstraintChangeEvent2> =
+        this._onDidConstraintsChangeInternal.event;
     //
 
     readonly _onDidConstraintsChange = new Emitter<PanelConstraintChangeEvent>({
         replay: true,
     });
-    readonly onDidConstraintsChange: Event<PanelConstraintChangeEvent> = this
-        ._onDidConstraintsChange.event;
+    readonly onDidConstraintsChange: Event<PanelConstraintChangeEvent> =
+        this._onDidConstraintsChange.event;
     //
 
     readonly _onDidSizeChange = new Emitter<PanelSizeEvent>();
-    readonly onDidSizeChange: Event<PanelSizeEvent> = this._onDidSizeChange
-        .event;
+    readonly onDidSizeChange: Event<PanelSizeEvent> =
+        this._onDidSizeChange.event;
     //
 
     constructor(id: string) {
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
index f66752a49..8f9de1df3 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
@@ -625,10 +625,6 @@ export class DockviewComponent
 
         const view = new GroupviewPanel(this, id, options);
 
-        if (typeof this.options.tabHeight === 'number') {
-            view.model.tabHeight = this.options.tabHeight;
-        }
-
         if (!this._groups.has(view.id)) {
             const disposable = new CompositeDisposable(
                 view.model.onMove((event) => {
@@ -643,6 +639,14 @@ export class DockviewComponent
             this._groups.set(view.id, { value: view, disposable });
         }
 
+        // TODO: must be called after the above listeners have been setup,
+        // not an ideal pattern
+        view.initialize();
+
+        if (typeof this.options.tabHeight === 'number') {
+            view.model.tabHeight = this.options.tabHeight;
+        }
+
         return view;
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts
index e115a17a5..04c0d7e54 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ export class Groupview extends CompositeDisposable implements IGroupview {
         }
 
         if (this._activePanel && this.panels.length === 0) {
-            this._activePanel = undefined;
+            this.doSetActivePanel(undefined);
         }
 
         this.updateContainer();
@@ -601,20 +601,24 @@ export class Groupview extends CompositeDisposable implements IGroupview {
         this.updateMru(panel);
         this.panels.splice(index, 0, panel);
 
-        this._onDidGroupChange.fire({ kind: GroupChangeKind.ADD_PANEL });
+        this._onDidGroupChange.fire({ kind: GroupChangeKind.ADD_PANEL, panel });
     }
 
-    private doSetActivePanel(panel: IGroupPanel) {
+    private doSetActivePanel(panel: IGroupPanel | undefined) {
         this._activePanel = panel;
-        this.tabsContainer.setActivePanel(panel);
 
-        // this.contentContainer.openPanel(panel.content);
+        if (panel) {
+            this.tabsContainer.setActivePanel(panel);
 
-        panel.layout(this._width, this._height);
+            panel.layout(this._width, this._height);
 
-        this.updateMru(panel);
+            this.updateMru(panel);
+        }
 
-        this._onDidGroupChange.fire({ kind: GroupChangeKind.PANEL_ACTIVE });
+        this._onDidGroupChange.fire({
+            kind: GroupChangeKind.PANEL_ACTIVE,
+            panel,
+        });
     }
 
     private updateMru(panel: IGroupPanel) {
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupviewPanel.ts b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupviewPanel.ts
index 9133f7c6a..377410f41 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupviewPanel.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupviewPanel.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ export class GroupviewPanel extends GridviewPanel {
         super(id, 'groupview_default', new GridviewPanelApiImpl(id));
 
         this._model = new Groupview(this.element, accessor, id, options, this);
+    }
+
+    initialize() {
         this.model.initialize();
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/index.ts b/packages/dockview/src/index.ts
index 9f2c6a2dc..7ac35a065 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/index.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export {
     PanelDimensionChangeEvent,
     VisibilityEvent,
     ActiveEvent,
+    PanelApi,
 } from './api/panelApi';
 export {
     SizeEvent,